Does TNA need a development territory?

[Disturbed]

WWE's development territory is FCW and they build up young stars and train them to be in WWE. So the question is does FCW need something like FCW?

I think if TNA could somehow find a development territory it would help them in the long run. Instead of hiring people WWE cuts, they could build guys up in a development territory and it would save them some money. They could even gain money if the development territory is a school and they could get part of the tuition money from each student. They could also use a development territory to send guys down to work on improving there mic and in ring skills. It would really help guys like Robbie E, Rob Terry, Desmond Wolfe, Jesse Neal, and Generation Me.

I wouldn't mind seeing TNA and OVW come to terms on some sort of partnership so OVW superstars can get trained and then go to TNA. OVW produced a lot of talent for WWE and they could do the same for TNA.

Another option is Team 3D's wrestling school since Team 3D are under contract with TNA, this could be pretty easy to reach a deal.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Cmac3311]

Personally I don't think TNA needs a training circuit now simply because they usually grab guys from WWE, ROH and the Independents.

Most of the guys that come up to TNA are already very well trained, (ie/ GenME, Desmond Wolfe, etc.) So I think they'll be okay for several years to come but I do believe you are on to something though, just not within the next 5 years though man

 

[MisterRob]

They can barely finance what they're doing right now, how in the world are they going to finance a developmental territory? People jump the gun way too much with TNA. TNA needs to worry about the main roster they have right now, developing the young talent they have on Impact, not worry about some developmental territory. They can't even develop the talent they already have properly, or make the young talent they have into stars, what's the point of worrying about even younger and less established talent? And they're not exactly in a great financial state to be bringing in even more talent and taking on another project on the side.

This isn't even a realistic option.

 

[Disturbed]

They can barely finance what they're doing right now, how in the world are they going to finance a developmental territory? People jump the gun way too much with TNA. TNA needs to worry about the main roster they have right now, developing the young talent they have on Impact, not worry about some developmental territory. They can't even develop the talent they already have properly, or make the young talent they have into stars, what's the point of worrying about even younger and less established talent? And they're not exactly in a great financial state to be bringing in even more talent and taking on another project on the side.

This isn't even a realistic option.

The developmental territory would help them out with that. If they went with OVW, they already have guys on there roster who they are building up who TNA could look at for talent. The developmental territory would also develop the talent so TNA would not have to. Look how much talent ovw developed when they were with WWE. That was them not WWE. OVW could develop the stars and TNA would just have to use proper booking and push them.

 

[MisterRob]

The developmental territory would help them out with that. If they went with OVW, they already have guys on there roster who they are building up who TNA could look at for talent. The developmental territory would also develop the talent so TNA would not have to. Look how much talent ovw developed when they were with WWE. That was them not WWE. OVW could develop the stars and TNA would just have to use proper booking and push them.

I don't think you understand this. For one; what if TNA isn't interested in any of the talent OVW has? For two; WWE signed the talent that they sent to OVW to be trained and developed when they were connected to OVW. Those talents were on the WWE payroll, therefore they were additional wrestlers WWE had to pay. When WWE broke ties with OVW they took all of their signed talent and moved them to Florida Championship Wresting. I think you might be confused about how this all works

TNA would therefore sign the talent and send them to OVW (or whatever deveplomental territory they use), but they'd still be on the TNA payroll, therefore TNA would have to spend even more money on that entire roster. As I said before, they're not in a financial position to be financing anything to do with a developmental territory. And if they couldn't or didn't use a pre-existing territory then they'd have to financially create their own and that's even more money. TNA doesn't need a developmental territory right now in any way, and they're not even in a position that the idea is anything but silly. Sorry.

 

[Ferbian]

I don't see why exactly they would need a developmental territory. While it's always nice to have some place to harvest talent from, I don't think it's necessarily needed. TNA just as well as WWE would have no problem getting their hands on talent for their roster. And while it might be a good thing to have for the sake of training wrestlers, I doubt that TNA would hire anybody without being guaranteed that they can actually wrestle a match.

So no TNA doesn't really need a developmental territory. I wouldn't be against them getting one, but it's not like the end all be all of TNA going further in the business.

 

[MrHashasheen]

I'd say no. TNA, unlike the WWE doesn't need to do so to keep bringing in new talent. If they weren't so compeltly against most of the independents and smaller feds (by which I mean charging them massive rates for to have any TNA-hired wrestlers wrestle a match for them), they could have their pick of a lot of independent good wrestlers. Look at SHIMMER for TNA Knockouts, especially, while good wrestlers could get picked up from ROH like they usually do, or from PWG, etc...

 

[eatdapoopoo]

They do have a developmental system.

It's called the Indies.

Only thing is, it seems more and more that TNA is a developmental system itself. It doesn't hold a candle to WWE, and it certainly isn't big enough to warrant having a specific developmental territory. If Dixie's mamma isn't gonna spend money on talent, she isn't gonna do it on having a developmental promotion that may or my not draw the same, if not better than some of the crowds they normally do.

 

[bxbigshow]

No they don't need a developmental system at all. First if they want to train someone they have on roster already they have the Dudley's Camp. Might not be a dev.territory but, at least there someone can work on some specifics before being brought back into the fold. (i.e.- Jesse Neal)

Also they gleam talent from ROH and other indies, so there is no specific need to have a system to create talent. They already bring in guys with good experience/promo skills/ring work. Most if all of TNA's indy aquisitions come in with the basic tools of what it takes to get over. Desmond Wolfe, Robbie E, GenMe, etc...going back Con.Creed, Red, Samoa Joe. They all had either the mic or mat skills to get a good start in TNA.

Where TNA is stacked on talent, they are lacking in Creativity, Writing, and overall Direction. If they were able to clean up the problems on that end, they would be in good shape. The young talent is already there and they grab from the indies....

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

I like this idea, but it would require a solid financial foundation of the whole company and assurance that they will have enough time to get things up and running.

Wasn't it just a year ago (or less) that people were saying that WWE is suffering a major gulf between the older and the younger guys because they didn't invest in the future sooner? I don't think you can be too early to invest in the future, but you can definitely be too late.

Several have mentioned TNA 'raiding' WWE and the indies for talent, which works sometimes, but isn't this also a big criticism of TNA's thinking? Their reliance on guys out of contract or future endeavoured has become quite stale now, plus there is already history to the wrestler which admittedly can sometimes work in their advantage but I'd much prefer to see some young guys come through with something to prove.

So yeh, I'd go for trying to create a development territory, it wouldn't solve all their problems of course, but it would be a positive sign

 

[Chess]

They do not have the money to waste on a training company. Just keep signing ROH, Dragon Gate and other independent wrestlers.

 

[johnbragg]

Someone, actually several someones, said that TNA's developmental is the indies.

Why not build on that? Formalize it as a TNA business development strategy.

TNA has plenty of guys on per-appearance contracts who would give a boost to PWG or OVW or Maryland Championship Wrestling or Jersey All Pro or whoever. Why not position TNA as the hub of a national network of wrestling groups?

The indy promotion gets a TNA-branded wrestler like Jay Lethal or Jesse Neal or Stevie Richards. For the price of a plane ticket and a hotel room, send an agent as a scout to check out the indy talent and check out how small time wrestling runs in the area. TNA gets a little bit of marketing in that area--and develops a relationship with the local promoter. When TNA comes around to do a house show, they have a contact who knows local radio and promotion, knows venues, knows local caterers, hotels, all the things that need to be arranged for an independent show or a TNA house show.

 

[Dizzy]

You guys do realize they do indeed use Team 3D's school as a developmental territory right? Jessie Neal, Rob Terry spent time down there training before making it to TV. Reid Flair is currently training down there who TNA signed earlier this year.

Matt Hardy reopening OMEGA is also expected to be linked with TNA eventually.

 

[Calderownz]

They already have ROH. Lol. (Ring Of Honor fans will love that.)

Nonetheless, I thought they were using some small territory as something along the lines of a development. A previous post said that it was Team 3D's school. That would make sense.

Regardless, it couldn't hurt. Unless they give them contracts before they bring them up.

 

[Dagger Dias]

TNA does not need a developmental territory because their roster is large enough as it is and with the addition of a developmental territory they would have guys coming up from there to join an already clogged up roster. Big mistake. I think TNA are better off trying to find free agents who leave WWE, ROH, and other organizations. That's where just about the entire roster came from anyway.